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Hunter's Ears
- Thread starter hillman
- Start date
D
Deleted member 67409
I don't go into the woods without my MSA Sordin electronic ear muffs. The muffs do an amazing, sometimes overwhelming job of amplifying ambient sounds, while also making gunfire a non-issue. I do a lot of shotgun hunting where a silencer isn't really an option, like with double guns. The muffs are unobtrusive in the woods, swamps, and briars of New England.
I had the chance to compare my Sordins versus a pair of Peltors and my advice would be to get the Peltors. If the price bothers you, ask yourself how much your hearing is worth. I grew up around my paternal grandfather being pretty hard of hearing (he was born in 1942, way before hearing protection was a common thing in shooting), so I always do what I can to protect my hearing.
I had the chance to compare my Sordins versus a pair of Peltors and my advice would be to get the Peltors. If the price bothers you, ask yourself how much your hearing is worth. I grew up around my paternal grandfather being pretty hard of hearing (he was born in 1942, way before hearing protection was a common thing in shooting), so I always do what I can to protect my hearing.
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Mesatchornug
NES Member
Can you speak to the difference between the Peltors and Sordins in your experience?
I ask because I have a pair of the Howard Leight Impact Sport and the Peltor Sport Range Guards. While the seal on the Peltors is better because of the smaller/rounder ear cups, I find the sound isn't really any better. Obviously, this is a much lower price point, so I'm sure the electronics are different, but it sort of had me leaning towards the Sordins as my next purchase...or the Ops Core AMP if I'm feeling flush.
Mesatchornug
NES Member
I did. They definitely improve it.
Despite appearances, my head is very medium. The squarer ear cups lose their seal at the lower rear corner if I adjust my jaw just right. (I know, don't wiggle your jaw like that.) So they sound as good as or slightly better than the Peltors, and have similar noise damping. They just don't quite fit my melon. It feels like that Arai vs Shoei conversation all over again...
D
Deleted member 67409
The "problem" with the Sordins is that they amplify ambient sound too much at times, leading to fatigue. The Peltors don't. I believe GarandThumb mentioned the same issue on his video on hearing protection.
Regarding fit, I didn't notice much of a difference. And if it matters, my motorcycle helmet brand is Schuberth lol.
Mesatchornug
NES Member
Ok. So kind of like my complaint with the Axils, the lower volume setting isn't as low as you'd prefer...
Thanks!
D
Deleted member 67409
Not necessarily. The volume is fine, it's more the audio clarity. The Peltors make things sound clearer, the Sordins don't as well.
Think about it like scopes - two scopes can have the same exact magnification levels, but one has better glass quality than the other. Peltor has better audio quality than Sordin.
Mesatchornug
NES Member
Now in on the trolley, thanks!
hillman
NES Member
So are the better ones the Peltor Sport Range Guards, or is it a different model? I am interested in the sound amplification and clarity more than the ballistic sound protection, or maybe not more but equally. I am taking my 11 year old out with me this year and want him to hear everything.
Mesatchornug
NES Member
For an 11 year old, size and fit are going to be critical. I'm happy to meet up with you so he can try out any of the gear I have.
D
Deleted member 67409
The Peltors I tried were definitely not the Sport Range Guards. They were a $200ish, $300ish tactical model with built-in communications. I'll ask my friend tomorrow who owns the Peltors which model they are.
Do you "need" comms in a set of hunting headphones? Depends on how you're hunting. I can see the advantage if you're doing a deer drive and get separated. If you're sitting in a blind or double stand together, then no.
The high end Peltors and Sordins can have the gel ear cups swapped out to fit better. Either the Peltors or Sordins will last for years through rough use. Either high end model will do an excellent job both amplifying ambient sound and negating the sound of shooting. But the high end Peltors have better audio quality than the high end Sordins.
Mesatchornug
NES Member
I was 99% certain you were talking about something like the Comtacs or the Sport Tactical, but wasn't about to speak for you.
D
Deleted member 67409
Confirmed, Comtac III.
3M recently replaced the Comtac III with the Comtac V. Per 3M, the Comtac V is only for sale to police and military only. However, there's a large number of places selling them, like Midway and on Gunbroker.
Peltor ComTac V Hearing Defender Electronic Headset (NRR 23dB) Green
Peltor Camelback Gel Earmuff Rings Black
Is about $600 in hearing protection worth it for an 11-year old? I can't say - some kids are very into and serious about shooting/hunting, others aren't. If you think shooting is something he's going to stick with, then I would give it serious consideration. Otherwise, probably no.
The Sordins I own were about $250 and they came from Amazon with the gel cups pre-installed.
Is the extra $250 in cost worth it? For an adult who does a lot of shooting and hunting - probably. For a kid - I can't say. All I can say is that in trying out the Comtac III, I was very impressed with how the set canceled out excessive ambient sound in comparison to my Sordins.
